The Labor Day Burger

Getting ready for Labor Day each year should be fun, but is often overshadowed by the hectic beginning of the school year. For most, it is the last extended weekend until Thanksgiving, and thus it is the duty of every fire-lovin’ carnivore to grill, eat, and nap. Fittingly, this week’s recipe is the Labor Day Burger – a gorgeous gourmet burger featuring a cheese-stuffed patty, loads of bacon, and topped with fresh avocado.

The secret to this dish is adding some bacon drippings from the cooked bacon to the ground beef, along with bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, and pepper. The grease will cook out during grilling, adding rich and salty flavors to the patties, and act as the glue to hold them together. Raising the savory experience, Colby-Jack cheese is placed between two patties and sealed in to create a massive force for good, exemplifying everything we are proud of as Americans. Fresh avocado and tomato slices bring balance, refreshment, and fulfillment with every bite. So don’t let Labor Day fly by, make the most of this epic weekend by treasuring the things most precious – family, friends, grilling, naps, and BACON!

Servings: 4

The Labor Day Burger Ingredients

  • 12 slices bacon
  • 2 tablespoons bacon drippings
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cups dry bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
  • 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese, or more to taste
  • cooking spray
  • 4 slices Colby-Jack cheese (optional)
  • 1 tomato, thinly sliced
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 4 hamburger buns, split

The Labor Day Burger Directions

  1. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned but not totally crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Retain 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
  2. Mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and retained bacon drippings in a bowl until thoroughly combined; divide meat mixture into 8 equal portions. Form each portion into a large patty, making them as thin as possible. Sprinkle shredded Colby-Jack cheese onto 4 of the patties, leaving an edge about 3/4 inch wide uncovered. Place second patty onto the cheese and press the edges of the patties together to create 4 cheese-stuffed burgers. Place stuffed patties into freezer to chill slightly, about 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
  4. Spray the grill grate with cooking spray and place burgers onto grill; turn heat to low, place lid over grill, and cook until outsides of burgers are lightly charred and cheese has melted, about 10 minutes per side. Maintain grill temperature at about 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Use a spray bottle of water to control flames; flames should just lightly contact the bottoms of the burgers to create a slight char. After the first flip, place 3 partially-cooked bacon slices onto each burger.
  5. About 2 minutes before burgers are done, place a Colby-Jack cheese slice onto each burger; top with tomato and avocado slices and transfer burgers to plate to rest for 1 or 2 minutes. Serve burgers on hamburger buns.

Taken from: AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/223523/the-labor-day-burger/

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